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Wednesday, 5 July 2017

Review: Lonely Planet Pocket Berlin

Lonely Planet Pocket Berlin is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Enjoy stunning views from the Reichstag; stroll through the Holocaust Memorial; or see artist murals on the Berlin Wall; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of the best of Berlin and begin your journey now!

Inside Lonely Planet Pocket Berlin:

Full-colour maps and images throughoutHighlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interestsInsider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spotsEssential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, pricesHonest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks missFree, convenient pull-out Berlin map (included in print version), plus over 20 colour neighbourhood mapsUser-friendly layout with helpful icons, and organised by neighbourhood to help you pick the best spots to spend your timeCovers: Sheunenviertel, Potsdamer Platz, Kurfurstendamm, Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg and more

The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet Pocket Berlin, a colorful, easy-to-use, and handy guide that literally fits in your pocket, provides on-the-go assistance for those seeking only the can't-miss experiences to maximize a quick trip experience.

Looking for a comprehensive guide that recommends both popular and offbeat experiences, and extensively covers all of Berlin's neighbourhoods? Check out Lonely Planet Berlin.

Review:
There's a reason the Lonely Planet travel guides are so popular, it's because they are packed with so much useful information and the Berlin Pocket Guide is no exception to that. This book was absolutely invaluable both in the run up to our trip (with advice on places to stay according to your budget, tips for travelling around the city including ticket prices, dos and don'ts and even a few useful German phrases) and while we were there. We took this book everywhere and the pull out map was worth its weight in gold with the street information and most importantly the transport map showing the various different U-Bahn & S-Bahn lines so you could work out journeys in advance.

The book includes lots of information on both popular tourist spots and less known locations along with information on where to find the best shops, bars, clubs and restaurants. The information is split into different parts of the city and they include suggested itineraries in case you don't have much time but want to see the highlights. It's really easy to plan your days around your own interests and because everything is grouped together by location you can save time and transport costs by visiting the things that are close together on the same day.

I'd highly recommend doing at least one of the listed walking tours so you can get to know the layout of the city. There's a 3.5km historical walk that takes you from the Reichstag through the Brandenburg Gate and past Museum Island and the Berliner Dom or a 3km walk that takes you along part of the route of the Berlin Wall where you'll see Checkpoint Charlie, one of the remaining Watch Towers and several remaining sections of wall as you travel up past the Holocaust Memorial (please, please make time to see the museum underneath the memorial, it's free to enter but you can pay €3 for an audioguide which I'd definitely recommend. It's a chilling experience but such a worthwhile one.) and end up near Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. You could actually combine the two walks and see a big chunk of the city but depending how much time you want to spend at each location along the way you might prefer to do them separately.

There is so much to see and do in Berlin that even though we were there for a week we still didn't have time for everything but this guide really helped us make the most of our trip and we packed in an awful lot. I've brought lots of Lonely Planet guides over the years but these pocket ones are perfect for city breaks, they're small and easy to carry in your bag or even a pocket so you'll always have the maps and information at your fingertips in case you want to change your plans last minute. I can definitely recommend the Berlin guide and I'll be buying more pocket guides in the future.

Source: Purchased

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